Agency History

This is an archival or historical document and may not reflect current policies or procedures.

Research Notes & Special Studies by the Historian's Office

Research
Notes & Special Studies by the Historian's Office

Research Note #24:
Origins of the Term "Social
Security"

The term "social security" was not in
widespread use in 1935 when it enshrined in the title of the Social
Security Act. In fact, the original title of the Roosevelt Administration's
bill was the Economic Security Act, and the title of the committee
which drafted the legislative proposal was the Committee on Economic
Security. It was during consideration of the Economic Security bill
in the Congress that the name was changed to Social Security Act
and that became the familiar term from that day forward.

How this change occurred is not entirely clear, as the matter was
not formally documented. It appears to have occurred in an executive
session of the House Ways and Means Committee. Who first made the
suggestion is also open to some doubt. Three different individuals
have been identified as the Congressman making the motion to change
the name: Congressman Woodruff (R-MI), Congressman Frank Buck (D-CA)
and Congressman Jere Cooper (??) . Edwin Witte, Chairman of the
CES, and someone who was present at the event, remembers it being
Congressman Woodruff. Thomas Eliot, who was also likely present
at the executive session when the change was made, remembers it
being Congressman Cooper. Research by SSA Historian Abe Bortz decided
on Buck.

Here, then, are three, somewhat divergent, accounts of how the Social
Security program got its name.

Mr. Cohen: Speaking about
drafting the bill, the first Economic Security bill--that is, the
one carrying out the recommendations of the President and the Committee
on Economic Security--was drafted by Tom Eliot, wasn't it?

Professor Witte: He was the
Counsel of the Committee. He had been with the Solicitor's Office
of the Department of Labor, and served as its counsel throughout
the existence of the Committee. He drafted the Economic Security
bill. The title of the Committee and of the bill at the time was
"Economic Security." It was not until congressional consideration
that the title "Social Security" came in, but it was the
original measure in the Congress of the United States--particularly
in the House Ways and Means Committee. The bill was changed considerably
in appearance and also to some degree in content. It became the
Social Security bill and ultimately the Social Security Act.

Mr. Cohen: The United States was
the first country then to use and to spread the use of the term
"social security," wasn't it?

Professor
Witte: Social security had been used very slightly in
this connection prior to the Social Security Act. I recall very
well the Executive Committee meeting of the House Ways and Means
Committee where it was decided to give the bill a new name. The
Committee for many reasons wanted to change the bill from the original
administration bill, and, after more important changes had been
agreed upon, some members suggested that the title should be changed.
Then there was a free-for-all discussion. What should be the title?
Some members hit upon "social security" and that was the
term. That term, following the enactment of the Social Security
Act, was applied to everything that was in the Social Security Act
and related programs in discussions in this country. It was not
adopted on a world-wide basis until about 1940. In fact, it was
not used other than in the United States. The terms used elsewhere
were social insurance, social policy, and various other titles.
In 1940 the International Labor Office issued an important report
called "Approaches to Social Security" and after that
the term became universal for the programs which we now designate
by that term.

Mr. Cohen: Professor
Witte, it is sometimes said that in the United States Abe Epstein's
organization was the first to use the term it "social security."
What is the story behind that?

Professor
Witte: That is at least partially true. Abraham Epstein
organized the American Association for Old Age Security in 1927
and he did very valuable work in promoting old-age assistance laws.
In 1933 he was writing a book, in which he does not use the word
"social security," and became very much interested in
the controversy then in progress over the type of unemployment insurance
law that should be enacted in the States. In 1933 Epstein broadened
his organization also to cover unemployment insurance. At that time,
as I know from having been a member of his executive council, he
was looking for some broader title than old-age security. It is
my understanding that Mr. Lee Frankel, who was then Commissioner
of Welfare of the State of New Jersey, suggested the title "social
security." Then the Association for Old Age Security became
the Association for Social Security. But aside from this, "social
security" was not used. Epstein himself did not use it except
in the title of his organization. When the House Ways and Means
Committee was looking for a title for its bill--different than the
Economic Security Act--I think it was Mr. Woodruff of Michigan,
a Republican member of the Committee, who may have known something
about Epstein's association, suggested "social security."
That was adopted by the committee without dissent and almost without
discussion because it seemed to be very appropriate.

Thomas Eliot's Account:

(In 1964, Abe Bortz wrote to Mr. Eliot, who was at that time
Chancellor of St. Louis University, asking for his recollection
of this event. This is the letter Mr. Eliot wrote in response.)

My recollection about the change in the name of the
Economic Security Bill to the "Social Security
Bill" is not absolutely clear. I remember that
the change was made during a meeting of the Ways and
Means Committee, but I did not recall that Buck made
the motion. For what it is worth, my slightly uncertain
recollection is that the matter under discussion was
the title of the Board, which, in the original draft,
was called the "Social Insurance Board."
Somebody indicated an objection to that name. Somebody
else--and I would have guessed that it was either
Cooper or Vinson--moved to change the name to "Social
Security Board. " It was after this was done,
I would guess, that somebody then said that the whole
bill might as well have its name changed from "Economic
Security" to "Social Security"; but,
again, I have always associated Jere Cooper with this
change, not Buck.

Important Information:

Other Government Websites:

Follow:

External Link Disclaimer

You are exiting the Social Security Administration's website.

Select OK to proceed.

Disclaimer

The Social Security Administration (SSA) website contains links to websites not affiliated with the United States government. These may include State and Local governmental agencies, international agencies, and private entities.

SSA cannot attest to the accuracy of information provided by such websites. If we provide a link to such a website, this does not constitute an endorsement by SSA or any of its employees of the information or products presented on the non-SSA website.

Also, such websites are not within our control and may not follow the same privacy, security or accessibility policies. Once you visit such a website, you are subject to the policies of that site.